Gate-latch.



G. B. BRAGE. GATE LATCH.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 24, 1912.

1,057,522. Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

WITNESSES: I/Vl/E/VTOI? WW GYBBraae.

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/ ATTORNEY ccLUMmA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

To all who 1m it may concern GEORGE B. BRACIE,

OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR "10 AMERICAN FARM GATE COMPANY, OFKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

GATELATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

Application filed June 24, 1912. Serial No. 705,505.

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. BRACE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate- Latches; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to gate latches and more particularly to latchesadapted for use with gates having automatic vertical adjustment toprovide against obstructions, such as snow or the like, which mightaccumulate beneath the gate and prevent its closing to its normalposition, and thereby preventing the fastening of the gate through themedium of an ordinary non-adjustable latch.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a latch whereby agate of that character may be fastened to a gate post when the gate isclosed and within the limits of its vertical adjustability, and toprovide the details of structure whereby this object may beaccomplished.

In the drawings wherein the preferred. form of my invention isillustrated :-Figure I is a perspective view of a gate having a mountingadapted for affording automatic vertical adjustment and provided with alatch constructed according to my invention. Fig. H is an elevation ofthe gate post showing the latch bail and keeper. Fig. 111 is a side viewof the parts shown in Fig. 2, the bail being in the position forprojection over the free stile of the gate, and located beneath theupper lip of the keeper.

Referring more in detail to the parts :1 and 2 designate gate posts, theformer having ring bolts 3 through which the pivoting stile 4: of thegate is projected, and said stile having a cap 5 on its upper end forhanging on the upper ring bolt to limit the downward projection of thestile. Connecting the pivoting stile with the free stile 6 are bodymembers, preferably comprising Wires 7 and spacing struts 8. I have alsoshown the stiles connected by a spring bal ancing device which isspecifically described in my application for Letters Patent filed Sept.11, 1911, and serially numbered 648,701, although this device forms nopart of my present invention.

F iXed to the bottom of the post 2 and projecting inwardly therefrom isa yoke 9 which is adapted for receiving the lower end of the free stile6 to hold same against swinging movement.

Fixed to the upper portion of the post is a keeper 10, having end ears11 whereby it is rigidly secured to the post, and having a centralportion 12 spaced from the face of the post and provided with inturneddownwardly projecting lips 13 which are preferably stamped from. theplate body. The latch bail 14 preferably comprises a metal rod shaped toresemble a keystone and hung in the keeper-member on the post 2, so thatit is free to move vertically in the keeper and to lift over the upperend of the free stile. When in the latter position, the end of the bailwhich is confined within the keeper plate is held outwardly and upwardlyby the outward and upward tension of the gate, so that it is caught andheld beneath one of the keeper lips 13, to hold the gate downwardlyagainst the tension of the balancing spring and in closed position.

The post 2 may be provided with a pin 15 at its upper end for supportingthe bail when the gate is open, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

In using the latch, presuming the gate to be constructed as described,when the gate is open it is free of the yoke device so that the lowerend of the stile is free of the confining yoke and may swing on itspivotal mounting, the latch bail being supported on pin 15 in readinessfor dropping over the gate stile when the gate is closed.

When the gate is to be closed, it is moved to the closed position andits free end lowered against the tension of the spring balance, so thatthe lower end of the stile is projected into the yoke to hold such lowerend in place. When the stile is lowered, the bail is removed from thepin 15, and moved over the top of the free stile, the lower end of thebail being caught beneath one of the keeper lips, and held in suchposition by the upward pull of the gate. With the parts in thisposition, the gate is held against vertical movement and also againstswinging inwardly or upwardly from its closed position.

It is apparent that by providing a plurality of lips throughout theheight of the keeper plate, the latch may be applied to the gate whenthe free stile is at different elevations, the adjustability of thelatch being limited only by the length of the keeper plate and thenumber of the keeper lips.

WVith a latch of this construction should snow or ice pile up beneaththe gate so thatthe gate would be raised out of its normal position, thebail could engage one of the upper keeper lips and still perform itsfunc tion, whereas under normal conditions the bail would engage one ofthe lower lips, thereby insuring the latching of the gate irrespectiveof the unusual condition mentioned.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A latch comprising a keeper-member, and a bail adapted for adjustmentlongitudinally within the keeper and for projection therefrom.

2. A latch comprising a keeper, and a bail adapted for adjustment withinthe keeper and for projection therefrom.

3. A latch comprising a keeper, and a wire bail loosely confined withinthe keeper and adapted for projection therefrom.

4. A. latch comprising a keeper-member, and a wire bail loosely confinedwithin the keeper, one end of the bail being of greater width than theopposite end substantially as set forth.

5. A latch comprising a keeper-member having a plurality of stopmembers, and a bail loosely confined by said keeper and adapted forengagement with any of the stops, and for pivotal movement against thestops, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with a support, of a keeper-member having a bodyportion spaced from the support and provided with stop members, and abail confined between the keeper body and the support and adapted forengagement with the stops.

7. The combination with a support, of a keeper-member having a bodyportion spaced from the support and provided with a plurality ofinwardly facing lips, and a bail confined within the keeper and adaptedfor projection beneath any of the lips, and for pivotal movement incontact therewith.

8. The combination with a support of a keeper-member comprising a metalstrap having end ears whereby a body portion is spaced from the support,and wherein lips are stamped from said body portion to provide inwardlyprojecting stops, and a bail confined between the keeper body and thesupport and adapted for projection beneath any of the stops, for thepurpose set forth.

9.; The combination with a support, of a keeper-member having a bodyportion spaced from the support to provide an elongated recess, saidbody member having inwardly and downwardly projected lips thereon, and abail adapted for travel throughout the length of the recess and forprojection beneath any of the lips, and for pivotal movement in contacttherewith, for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination with a support, of a keeper-member carried by thesupport, a bail adapted for vertical adjustment within the keeper, and ahanger on the support for carrying the loose end of the bail.

11. The combination with a support having a yoke at its lower end and akeeper above the yoke, of a gate adapted for swinging past the supportand for vertical movement into and from the yoke, and a bail adj ustablymounted on the keeper and adapted for engagement with the gate to holdsame in closed position and within the lower yoke substantially setforth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE B. BRACE. l/Vitnesses.

LEWIS L. MILLER, LETA E. COATS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissionerlof Patents, Washington, D. C.

